Sanctuaries of Zeus: Mt. Lykaion and Olympia in the Early Iron Age

Recent excavations at the Sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion have uncovered continuous ritual activity dating back to the Late Bronze Age, challenging previous assumptions about the timeline of such practices. This discovery suggests a possible connection between Mt. Lykaion and the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, with evidence indicating that Olympia's impressive ash altar may have been inspired by its older counterpart. The study proposes that while ash altars became common in the Early Iron Age, Mt. Lykaion's cult site played a foundational role, ultimately influencing and overshadowing Olympia in subsequent centuries.

Romano, & Voyatzis. (2021). Sanctuaries of Zeus: Mt. Lykaion and Olympia in the Early Iron Age. Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 90(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.2972/hesperia.90.1.0001